Chaeles d



(No Model.)

0. D. TISDALE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Patented Mar. 8, 1887.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. TISDALE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH BENSON, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,041), dated March 8, 1887.

Application filed Januarylfi, 1886. Serial No.188,482. (No model.)

' DALE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Railway- Signals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a diagram representing the circuit. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a semaphore. Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to the class of railwaysignals employed to protect a section of the track occupied by a train from the entrance on the same section of another train while the section is occupied.

My invention consists in an improved arrangement of circuits, relays, and signal-mag nets, whereby a signal of danger is displayed when a train enters the section to be protected, and is withdrawn when the trainleaves the section and the track is clear.

My invention further consists in a semaphore arranged to be operated by an electromagnet in the main-line circuit, the semaphore-arm being provided with a colored disk and inclosed in a glass casing to protect it from the lateral pressure of wind and to shield it from snow,' rain, and sleet.

In carrying out my invention I employ for each section two or more electric semaphores, two relays, two electric batteries, a line-wire, and the track-rails.

The frame A of the semaphore is annular in form,and is provided with a socket, B, for receiving the top of the post 0, which supports the signal. To the sides of the annular frame A are secured circular glass plates D, in the centers of which are formed journal-bearings for the spindle a. To the spindle a is secured the semaphorearm E, which is formed of any suitable material having very little weight, and in one end of the arm E is formed a circular aperture, 1), which is closed by a transparent disk, 0, of colored glass, gelat-ine, or cloth. a

The glass sides D of the semaphore-case are transparent and to one side of the casing is secured a lantern, F, of ordinary construction, opposite the path of the colored disk 0 in the semaphorearm E and in position to shine through the colored disk when the arm E is in a horizontal position, as represented in full lines in the drawings.

On the spindle a of the semaphore arm E is secured a small drum, (1, for receiving a cord,

6, one end of which is wound around the drum and fastened thereto, the opposite end extending downward into the magnetchamberf in the socket B, where it is secured to the free end of the armature-lever g of the signal-magnet h. When the track protected by the sig- 6 5 nal is clear, the current flows through the magnet h, whiclnthrough the attraction of its armature g,draws the cord e, turning the semaphore-arm Eon its pivot, and,witl1drawing the colored disk 0 from before the lantern, holds the semaphore in an inclined position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The end of the semaphore-arm E, which is provided with the colored transparent disk 0, being heaviest, the semaphore-arm is thrown 7 5 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 by its own gravity, when the current ceases to flow through the signal-magnet h. It remains in this position so long as the track is occupied, indicating danger while it is in a horizontal position in the day-time, or while the light emitted by the lantern passes through the colored disk 0 at night; but by the arrangement of the circuit presently to be described, when the section to be protected is not occupied, the current is made to flow through the signal-magnet h, when the magnet attracts its armature g, and by drawing down the cord 6 removes the colored disk 0 from before the lantern and places the sema- 9o phore in an inclined position, thus indicating by the white light at night and by the inclined position of the semaphore in the day-time that the tracksection is clear.

In the diagram shown in Fig. 1, in which the circuit and the semaphore are represented diagrammatically, the signal-magnets h are placed in the line G, near the ends of the tracksection to be protected, and a main-line battery, H, is inserted in the line at some conven- I00 ient point.

The track-rails I 1 form part of the cou- $2 eeaoio ductors of the system, the rail I being divided into sectionsij kgand the rail 1 being separated at the ends of the section from the rail 1 of the adjacent sections.

The line-wire G, at one end of the section outside of the signal magnet 72, is connected with one terminal of a relay-magnet, J, the other terminal of the magnet being connected with a front contact point, Z, and with the track-rail 1 by the Wire m. The armature-lever of the relay-magnet J is connected with the ground by the wire 0, and is brought into contact with the contact-point Z when the current passes through the magnet, and grounds the line through the wire 0.

The short section t of the track-rail I is connected with the ground by the wire 19. The line-wire G, at the opposite end of the section, terminates in a back contact-point, g, which lies in the path of the armature lever r of the relay-magnet K, the armature-lever 1 being connected with the ground by the wire s.

The armature-levers of the relay-magnets J K are provided with the usual retractile springs. One terminal of the relay-magnet K is connected by a wire, t, with the track-rai1 I. The other terminal is connected by a wire, a, with the battery 22, and the battery communicates electrically with the track-rail section j by the wire to.

Theshort section it of the track-rail I is connected with the ground by the wire 00. When a train enters the track-section formed of the rails I l in the direction indicated by the arrow 1, the contact of the wheels of the locomotive and cars with the rail-section j and the rail 1 closes the circuit of the battery 1) through the axles of the locomotive and cars, the rail-section j and rail 1, the wire t, relaymagnet K, wire u, and wire to. The magnet of the relay,becoming active, draws the armature 7' toward it, breaking the main-line circuit between the contact-point q and the armature-lever a. The armatures got" the signalmagnets it, being released, allow the heavier ends of the semaphore-arms E to drop, bringing the semaphore-arms'into a horizontal position, which will indicate in the day-time by the position of the arm that the tracksection is occupied, and in the night the colored disk c,being in front of the lantern,colors the light emitted by the lantern, so that the danger-signal is given, indiating that the track-section is occupied.

When the main-line circuit is broken between the contact-point q and the lever r, the ground of the opposite end of the line, which was effected through the contact-point Z, armature-lever n, and ground-wire 0, is destroyed by the release of the armature-lever it.

Should the train be derailed, or should any accident happen which would prevent the train from leaving the track-section, the signal on the line-wire G will continue to indi' cate dangerf but when the train runs upon the short sectionZ of the rail I and brings it into electrical communication with th rail I", the circuit of the battery 1; will be broken.

\Vhen the train leaves the section j of the track-rail I, the armatu re-lever r will fallback upon the contact-point q, and the line will be grounded at that end of the section through the armaturelever r and wires. By the contact of the car-wheel with the short section i ofthetrack-rail I, the line is grounded through the track-section z and the wire 1). The signal-magnets h are again rendered active, and through the agency of their armatures g and the cord 6 turn the semaphore-arms E into a position indicating"safety. At the same time the relay J, which is in the main line, attracts its armaturen, establishing aground for the line through the contact-points Z, armature-lever n, and wire 0, so that when the train leaves the short section 2', destroying theground'connections with the track, the line will have a ground through the contact-point Z, armaturelever n, and the ground-wire 0.

When a train enters the section from the direction indicated by the arrow 2, the contact of the carwheels with the sectionj of the rail I and with the rail 1 again completes the cir cuit of the batteryvthrough the relay-magnet K, as before described, and draws the armature-lever 1" forward, breaking the main line between the contact-point q and the armature lever r, so that the armatures of the signalmagnets are again released,and the semaphorearms E drop into a position to indicate danger. At the same time the relay-magnet J, being deprived of the current, releases the armature-lever n, breaking the contact between the armaturelever n and the contactpoint Z.

When the train leaves the section j of the traclerail, the circuit of the battery 1; is again broken, and the armature r falls back into contactwith the point q, completing the line at that end of the section through the groundwire 8, and when the wheels form an electrical communication between the rail-sections k and I the line at the opposite end of the track-section will be grounded through the relay-magnet J, wire m, rail-section l, the wheels and axles of the train,rail-section 7c, and the ground wire 00, when the relay-magnet J will be again rendered active and its armature will be drawn forward,completing theground through the contact-point Z, lever n, and ground-wire 0, so that when the ground through the railsection I is destroyed the line will continue to be grounded through the ground-Wire 0.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in electric railway signaling apparatus, of a track-circuit including the relay-magnet K, battery 2:, conductors t a w, the rail-sections j I, and the line G, linebattery H, signal-magnet h, back contact-point, q, armature-lever r, placed within the field of the relay-magnet K, and the wires grounding IIO the line G at opposite ends, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In electric railway signaling apparatus, the combination, with the track formed of rails I I, the rail I being divided into sections z j k, insulated from each other, the ground-wiresp x, connected with the sections 6 k, the relaymagnet K, battery v,'and conductors t u w, forming, with the rail-sections j I and the wheels and axles of the train, circuit for the battery 1;, of the line G, provided with the linebattery H, the signal-magnets h, inserted in the line, the relay J, conductor m, communicating between the relay and the track-rail I, the contact-point Z, connected with the conductor m, the ground-wire 0, and armaturelever 91., substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In electric railway signaling apparatus, the combination, with theli ne G,provided with the battery H, and having at one end the contact-point q and at the opposite end a relaymagnet, J, contact-point l, and conductor m, connected with the track-rail I, of the armature-lever a, connected with the ground by the wire 0 and arranged to ground the linewire by bringing the armature-lever it against the front contact, 1, the relay-magnet K, its armature 7', arranged to fall back upon the contact-pointq when released by the relay-magnet K, the ground-wire s, the battery 21, conductors two, and the tracksection formed of the rail-section I, and the rail-section I, formed of the partsz' j k, the parts i and is being grounded, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. In electric railway signaling apparatus, the combination, with the line G, of the magnet h, armature g, straightbar semaphore E, provided with the drum d,the cord 0, connecting the drum (1 and the armature g, and the casing formed of the annular frarneA and the glass sides D, exposing the entire length of the semaphore to view,the magnet being arranged wholly without the annular frame to furnish a clear open field for the semaphore, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. In railway signaling apparatus, the semaphore-casing formed of the annular frame A. and glass sides D, the straight-bar semaphore E, pivoted in the casing between the glass sides and wholly exposed to View, and means for turning the semaphore on its pivot, arranged exteriorly to the semaphore-casin g, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. The combination, in electric railway signali n g apparatus, of the semaphorecase formed of the annular -frame A, the glass sides D, the straight-bar semaphore E, pivoted in the case between the glass sides, carrying in one,

end thereof a transparent colored disk, 0, and the lantern F, secured to one side ofthe semaphore-case opposite the path of the colored disk 0, substantially as herein shown and described.

7. In electric railway signaling apparatus, the combination of the annular frame A, pro vided with the socket B and chamber f, and outside of the annular frame A, and having glass sides D, the signaling-magnet h, and armature g, placed in the chamber f, the straight-bar semaphore E,turning on the pivot a, the drum d, and the cord 6, connecting the drum with the armature g, the colored disk 0, and the lantern F, secured to one side of the semaphore-case,substantial] y as herein shown and described.

Witnesses: CHAS. D. TISDALE.

ALBERT W. BROWN, JOHN D. GOULD. 

